Jennifer Falk GAME Plan Unit Title: Erosion; Causes, Effects, and Solutions Grade 4 Science Brief description of the lesson: Students will use problem based learning to derive solutions to a soil erosion problem behind the elementary building at our school. Working collaboratively, students will define erosion; understand the cause and effect of erosion, and through research, design and present possible solutions. A final product would include a digital presentation to share with the school administration. This unit plan will be broken down into three lessons. Lesson I Define, recognize, and understand the cause and effect of erosion Lesson II Design and present possible solutions Lesson III Create a digital presentation to share with the school. Florida standards addressed:
SC.4.E.6.4 Describe the basic differences between physical weathering (breaking down of rock by wind, water, ice, temperature change, and plants) and erosion (movement of rock by gravity, wind, water, and ice).
SC.4.E.6.5 Investigate how technology and tools help to extend the ability of humans to observe very small things and very large things.
LA.4.6.4 The student develops the essential technology skills for using and understanding conventional and current tools, materials and processes.
GOALS Students will be able to: 1. Understand the concept of soil erosion and recognize signs of soil erosion 2. Work with a team to develop short term and/or long term solutions of soil erosion 3. Use the Internet to research and reach out to others in the learning community 4. Research and design a plan to combat soil erosion 5. Produce a digital presentation to share possible solutions ISTE NETS-S: 1. Creativity and innovation 2. Communicate and collaborate 3. Research and information fluency 4. Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making 5. Digital Citizenship 6. Technology operations and concepts ACTION Lesson I Before Class Preparation:
Have a digital camera with a removable SD card for each group (if necessary, teach students how to use cameras prior to lesson).
Have laptop hooked up to the LCD projector
Have a copy of the Science text for each student
Preview acceptable sites and post a list of safe URLs for student use
Have a checklist for students to use to keep them on track
Have a modified KWL chart on the board (KPCNWL)
Instructional Activities
Modified KWL chart (KPCNWL)
· Begin by inviting students to tell you what they know about soil erosion (K part of chart) · Ask students what they think soil erosion looks like (P – picture this - part of chart) · Ask students what they think the causes of erosion are (C part of the chart) · Ask students to tell what it is not – weathering – and chart the differences (N – not erosion, but weathering) · Ask students what they want to learn about (W part of chart) Students may use their texts to help them form questions. · Tell students that we will add to the chart as we progress through the unit. o Materials needed: White board and markers, or an ELMO if available o Time allotted: 20 minutes
Use laptop and LCD projector to show video clips and pictures about soil erosion and what it can look like.
o Materials needed: Laptop, LCD projector, previously downloaded and saved pictures and video clips of erosion. o Time allotted: 10 minutes
Assign small groups of 4 or 5 students and hand each group a digital camera. Tell them they are going to be field researchers and take them out to the back of the elementary building.
· Ask students to find areas showing soil erosion and have each member in the group take 2 or 3 pictures. · Return to classroom and collect SD cards from cameras. Insert each card, one at a time, into the laptop and display student pictures with the LCD projector. · Acknowledge each photo and discuss each picture. Remember, even pictures that may not show erosion, can be used as non-examples, in a positive way. o Materials needed: Digital cameras, laptop, LCD projector, white board and markers, or ELMO if available o Time allotted: 30 minutes
Add to the modified KWL (KPCNWL) chart
· Lead discussion to the cause and effect of soil erosion. · Ask students what they think is causing the soil erosion where they took pictures. o Time allotted: 10 minutes
Have students, in their same groups, use computers to research information and the cause and effect of soil erosion with the list of preapproved URLs.
o Materials needed: An Internet-enabled computer for each group. (If not computers in the classroom, ask to use the computer lab or media center in advance.) Hand out a checklist to each student. The checklist gives students specific areas to check off as they learn more about soil erosion and its causes and effects. Remind them to add any new questions they may have on the back of the sheet. o Time allotted: 25 minutes
Add to the modified KWL (KPCNWL) chart
MONITOR Student progress will be ongoing throughout lesson through use of: · KWL (KPCNWL) chart · Checklist · Teacher observations (informal notes/checklists) · Digital pictures (Did student take pictures of soil erosion?) Accommodations The lesson plan is geared to auditory, kinesthetic, and visual learners. The pictures and video clips can be enlarged for students with visual issues, and if any auditory challenged students, hand outs with printed text, or adding text to the pictures and video clips will be beneficial. (A power point can easily provide the necessary text and embed the pictures and video clips. A power point can also include text in other languages of any ELL students.) Extension Activities For students not fully grasping the concept of soil erosion or cause and effect, additional Science video clips may be used. For a hands-on activity, running water in a downhill direction onto loose soil can provide an additional visual. Some students need more challenge; they can share what they know with students that are having difficulties. EVALUATION Review student checklists Review teacher observations Evaluate student responses during activities Informally question students about the cause and effect of soil erosion
GAME Plan
Unit Title: Erosion; Causes, Effects, and Solutions
Grade 4 Science
Brief description of the lesson: Students will use problem based learning to derive solutions to a soil erosion problem behind the elementary building at our school. Working collaboratively, students will define erosion; understand the cause and effect of erosion, and through research, design and present possible solutions. A final product would include a digital presentation to share with the school administration. This unit plan will be broken down into three lessons.
Lesson I Define, recognize, and understand the cause and effect of erosion
Lesson II Design and present possible solutions
Lesson III Create a digital presentation to share with the school.
Florida standards addressed:
GOALS
Students will be able to:
1. Understand the concept of soil erosion and recognize signs of soil erosion
2. Work with a team to develop short term and/or long term solutions of soil erosion
3. Use the Internet to research and reach out to others in the learning community
4. Research and design a plan to combat soil erosion
5. Produce a digital presentation to share possible solutions
ISTE NETS-S:
1. Creativity and innovation
2. Communicate and collaborate
3. Research and information fluency
4. Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making
5. Digital Citizenship
6. Technology operations and concepts
ACTION
Lesson I
Before Class Preparation:
Instructional Activities
- Modified KWL chart (KPCNWL)
· Begin by inviting students to tell you what they know about soil erosion (K part of chart)· Ask students what they think soil erosion looks like (P – picture this - part of chart)
· Ask students what they think the causes of erosion are (C part of the chart)
· Ask students to tell what it is not – weathering – and chart the differences (N – not erosion, but weathering)
· Ask students what they want to learn about (W part of chart) Students may use their texts to help them form questions.
· Tell students that we will add to the chart as we progress through the unit.
o Materials needed: White board and markers, or an ELMO if available
o Time allotted: 20 minutes
- Use laptop and LCD projector to show video clips and pictures about soil erosion and what it can look like.
o Materials needed: Laptop, LCD projector, previously downloaded and saved pictures and video clips of erosion.o Time allotted: 10 minutes
- Assign small groups of 4 or 5 students and hand each group a digital camera. Tell them they are going to be field researchers and take them out to the back of the elementary building.
· Ask students to find areas showing soil erosion and have each member in the group take 2 or 3 pictures.· Return to classroom and collect SD cards from cameras. Insert each card, one at a time, into the laptop and display student pictures with the LCD projector.
· Acknowledge each photo and discuss each picture. Remember, even pictures that may not show erosion, can be used as non-examples, in a positive way.
o Materials needed: Digital cameras, laptop, LCD projector, white board and markers, or ELMO if available
o Time allotted: 30 minutes
- Add to the modified KWL (KPCNWL) chart
· Lead discussion to the cause and effect of soil erosion.· Ask students what they think is causing the soil erosion where they took pictures.
o Time allotted: 10 minutes
- Have students, in their same groups, use computers to research information and the cause and effect of soil erosion with the list of preapproved URLs.
o Materials needed: An Internet-enabled computer for each group. (If not computers in the classroom, ask to use the computer lab or media center in advance.) Hand out a checklist to each student. The checklist gives students specific areas to check off as they learn more about soil erosion and its causes and effects. Remind them to add any new questions they may have on the back of the sheet.o Time allotted: 25 minutes
MONITOR
Student progress will be ongoing throughout lesson through use of:
· KWL (KPCNWL) chart
· Checklist
· Teacher observations (informal notes/checklists)
· Digital pictures (Did student take pictures of soil erosion?)
Accommodations
The lesson plan is geared to auditory, kinesthetic, and visual learners. The pictures and video clips can be enlarged for students with visual issues, and if any auditory challenged students, hand outs with printed text, or adding text to the pictures and video clips will be beneficial. (A power point can easily provide the necessary text and embed the pictures and video clips. A power point can also include text in other languages of any ELL students.)
Extension Activities
For students not fully grasping the concept of soil erosion or cause and effect, additional Science video clips may be used. For a hands-on activity, running water in a downhill direction onto loose soil can provide an additional visual.
Some students need more challenge; they can share what they know with students that are having difficulties.
EVALUATION
Review student checklists
Review teacher observations
Evaluate student responses during activities
Informally question students about the cause and effect of soil erosion